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June 4, 2008

Savannah

Savannah ~ Open Plains ~ Native Spanish origins

I was surprised to learn that this lovely and trendy nature name has been in use in America for a very long time. Though it was nowhere to be seen from the 1930s to the '70s, Savannah was not unheard of in the 1800s and was number 335 in the year 1885. So how did those early settlers discover such an unconventional name, especially one that sounds so contemporary today?

Well, any southerner could probably tell you that Savannah, Georgia might be the reason. Named for the Savannah river, the city has been established since 1733. There are also three other American cities named Savannah: one in New York, one in Tennessee, and one in Illinois. There's a clear indication that the term from the Taínos people was already known as a word indicating plains.

So it might be obvious that the word has been around for awhile, but using it as a name indicates some creativity on the part of those pioneers. With names like Hannah and Anna being so popular at the time, it begins to make even more sense. Today, using the names of cities and other regions is especially in-vogue, and this name is no exception.